18 Mar 2012

Philip Glass (b. 1937)

From Composer of the Week, 9:15 am on 18 March 2012
Philip Glass

Philip Glass Photo: CC by 2.0

Matthew Crawford explores the work of this composer of operas, works for musical theatre, symphonies, concertos, string quartets and other chamber music and film scores, three of which were nominated for Academy Awards. He founded his own performance group, the Philip Glass Ensemble, and together with other American composers developed the style known as Minimalism.

"Philip has done more for the symphonic tradition of music making in the last half of the 20th century than any other composer" - Dennis Russell Davies, conductor

Philip Glass's music is everywhere: In the concert hall, on stage and on screen. More than 100 ensembles perform his work every year. So, if any living composer can lay claim to being a household name, Glass can.

Glass's tortuous time in the Paris teaching studio of Nadia Boulanger helped to fuel a revolution in New York. But success was slow in coming. Philip Glass at first supported himself in New York by working as a taxi driver and running a removals business.

Related Stories:

  • An interview with Philip Glass
  • Music Details:

    GLASS: Mvt 1, from Violin Concerto - DG 437 091
    GLASS: Knee Play 4, from Einstein on the Beach - Nonesuch 79323
    SHOSTAKOVICH: Mvt 2, String Quartet No 3 - Russian Compact Disc RCD16617
    BERG: Piano Sonata - Hyperion CDA 67564
    WILLIAM SCHUMAN: George Washington Bridge – sourced from iTunes
    BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No 3 - DG 471 495
    STEVE REICH: Piano Phase - Nonesuch 79169
    TERRY RILEY: In C - New Albion NA071
    GLASS: Two Pages - Nonesuch 79326
    GLASS: Music in Similar Motion - Nonesuch 79326
    GLASS: Part 1, from Music in Twelve Parts - Orange Mountain Music 0049

    GLASS: Knee Play 1, from Einstein on the Beach - Nonesuch 79323
    GLASS: Knee Play 4, from Einstein on the Beach - Nonesuch 79323
    GLASS: Knee Play 3, from Einstein on the Beach - Nonesuch 79323
    GLASS: “The Vow”, from Satyagraha - Sony SM3K 62960
    GLASS: Epilogue, from Satyagraha - Sony SM3K 62960
    GLASS: Cloudscape, from Koyaanisqatsi - Nonesuch 79506
    GLASS: Pruit Igoe, from Koyaanisqatsi - Nonesuch 79506
    GLASS: Prophecies, from Koyaanisqatsi - Nonesuch 79506
    GLASS: Verse 3 + Funeral, from Akhnaten - CBS Masterworks M2K 42457
    GLASS: The Window of Appearances, from Akhnaten - CBS Masterworks M2K 42457
    GLASS: Attack and Fall, from Akhnaten - CBS Masterworks M2K 42457
    GLASS: Mvt 3, from String Quartet No 3, “Mishima” - Signum SIGCD 117
    GLASS: Mvt 2, from Violin Concerto - DG 437 091
    GLASS: Mvt 1, from Symphony No 1, “Low” - Point 438 470
    GLASS: Sand Mandala, from Kundun - Nonesuch 79460
    GLASS: The Grid, from Koyaanisqatsi - Nonesuch 79506